The commercial landscape of Pompeii, teeming with a variety of commercial activity, included bakeries, laundries, taverns, brothels, and food shops, each contributing to the vibrant urban culture. Notable establishments such as the Bakery of Popidius Priscus, the Fullonica of Stephanus, the Taberna of Phoebus, the Lupanar, the Thermopolium of Vetutius Placidus, and the Taberna of Sextus Amarantus provide a fascinating glimpse into the commercial activities of the ancient city.

circa

Bakery of Popidius Priscus
VII.2.22
The Bakery (pistrinum) of Popidius Priscus (Panificio di Popido Prisco) contains four large millstones made from porous lava, traces of a stable, four storage rooms and a large oven which was used for baking the bread. This bakery had no adjoining shop, so the bread was probably sold on to other shops or to street vendors, called libani. The bakery adjoins the house of Popidius Priscus, a member of one of the most important families in Pompeii. The main entrance to the bakery was on Vicolo Storto, but the bakery did not have a sales counter suggesting deliveries were made to trade customers in the neighbourhood.

circa

Fullonica of Stephanus
I.6.7
The Fullery of Stephanus (Fullonica Stephani) was created by the refurbishment of a preexisting house, the first floor was used as a work area, while the upper floor housed living quarters and a drying area. Although it is unclear if the name (Stephanus) called out in the election slogans on the façade belongs to the owner or to the manager. The entrance is wide, to permit easy access to customers dropping off their clothes. Such users had to pass by the ironing press room at the left of the entrance. A staircase leads to the terrace above the atrium, which is the only example of an atrium with an intact roof level in the whole Pompeii.

circa

Caupona of Sotericus
I.12.3

circa

Taberna of Phoebus
VI.1.18
The taberna of Phoebus was a thermopolium situated nearby to Fabbrica del sapone, and close to House of Sallust. Various electoral recommendations were found near to this taberna. Fiorelli wrote that one of them must surely be the name of the person who perhaps sold hot drinks and food here. In this bar, there is a cistern which was supplied by an internal pipe from the roof.

circa 150 BCE

Lupanar
VII.12.18
The Lupanar of Pompeii is the ruins of a brothel in the Ancient Roman city of Pompeii. It is of particular interest for the erotic paintings on its walls. Term Lupanar is Latin for "brothel". The Pompeii lupanar is also known as Lupanare Grande or the "Purpose-Built Brothel". The Lupanar was the largest of the brothels found in Pompeii with 10 rooms. Like other brothels, rooms in the Lupanar were plainly furnished.

circa

Thermopolium of Vetutius Placidus
I.8.8
The thermopolium (visible from outside) (Latin word formed from Greek words) of Vetutius Placidus opens on via dell’Abbondanza and represents social mobility in Pompeii in Roman times, where merchants and craftsmen also held a high social status, reserved only to landowners in older times. Drinks and hot food were served in this place, as the name indicates, stored in large jars placed in the richly decorated masonry counter of the tavern.

The news stand on the back wall is of great interest; extremely well-maintained, it consists of a lararium dedicated to the protectors of the household (Lari), the Genius protector of the owner, as well as the god of trade (Mercury) and the god of wine (Dionysus). The house is at the rear, interconnected with the shop, decorated with precious frescoes and a triclinium for outdoor dining. A hoard of nearly 3 kg (6.6 lb) of coins was found in one of the large clay jars placed in the counter, probably the last collections of the host, thereby attesting the profitable activity of the tavern.

circa

Taberna of Sextus Amarantus
I.9.11-12
The Domus Amaranti would be mainly occupied by an establishment concentrating on to the sale of wine in bulk and/or wholesale, using mainly Eastern wines. Sextus Pompeius Amarantus would be its administrator and/or owner sometime between 62 and 79 CE. The house (Domus) is characterized by the poverty of building materials and decoration, with evidence of unfinished construction-repair and marginality or abandonment. The lack of tableware also contradicts the idea of a residential use of this structure.

circa

Tannery of M. Vesonius Primus
I.5.2
The tannery or leather workshop (Officina Coriariorum) of M. Vesonius Primus at Pompeii, excavated between 1873 and 1874, represents a significant example of adaptive reuse in Roman urban architecture. Originally a private residence, the structure was converted into a tannery, or officina coriariorum, reflecting the integration of domestic and industrial functions within the urban fabric of Pompeii.

Central to the complex was a peristyle courtyard, featuring porticoes on the north and east sides, supported by brick pillars likely added during the building's transformation into a tannery. Along the west wall stood a masonry triclinium (inspect), measuring approximately 4.99 meters on the l. medius side and 4.96 meters on both the l. summus and l. imus sides, with a table surface of 1.78 by 0.93 meters. This triclinium was notable for its mosaic depicting a skull, symbolizing the transient nature of life, a theme resonant with Epicurean philosophy. The mosaic, measuring 0.45 by 0.50 meters, is currently housed in the National Archaeological Museum of Naples (inventory no. 109982).

The presence of a summer triclinium within the tannery complex indicates that the owner, or coriarius, resided on-site and hosted guests, highlighting the social and economic significance of the tanning industry in Pompeii. This integration of residential and industrial spaces provides valuable insight into the daily lives and occupational practices of ancient Romans.

The northeastern section of the courtyard was delineated by the first three intercolumniations from the northeast corner of the north portico and the first two from the same corner of the east portico. This area was paved with opus signinum, a waterproof Roman concrete commonly used in areas exposed to moisture, such as baths and industrial spaces. Adjacent to this paved section, a small garden area was identified, consistent with descriptions by August Mau, suggesting the presence of greenery within the industrial complex.

The tannery's layout included fifteen large cylindrical vats (inspect) used for the maceration of hides, a critical step in the tanning process. These vats were situated in a designated area of the building, emphasizing the specialized nature of the facility. Additional processing activities, such as beating and finishing of the hides, occurred under the porticoed areas and in small rooms along the east side of the peristyle, separated by low transverse walls to organize workflow efficiently.

circa

Caupona of Epagatus
I.1.1
The Caupona of Epagatus, designated as I.1.1 in the archaeological records of Pompeii, is situated on the east side of Via Stabiana, near the southern terminus of Insula I.1. Excavated in 1872, this establishment functioned both as a tavern (caupona) and a dwelling, exemplifying the integration of commercial and residential spaces in Roman urban architecture. The structure featured a dual-entrance façade, separated by a central pillar. According to Fiorelli, an electoral recommendation inscribed on this pillar referenced the proprietor, Epagatus, who was nicknamed "Cilo" due to a physical deformity. Internally, the establishment included a sales counter equipped with a hearth, indicative of its function as a venue for food and drink service. A staircase, likely leading to an upper floor, was situated in the corner, with a latrine located beneath it. Adjacent rooms, including a cubiculum, suggest the presence of private quarters, reinforcing the dual-purpose nature of the building.